Ketone body metabolism in ascorbic acid deficiency: in vivo utilization of ketone bodies in guinea pigs

¹ Department of Medicine, Providence Hospital, and Department of Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D. C.

Blood and urinary levels of ketone bodies were studied in normal, ascorbic acid-deficient, and pair-fed control, guinea pigs. The resting levels of ketone bodies in the blood and urine throughout the course of ascorbic acid-deficiency do not differ significantly from those of control animals. The ketonemic response to fasting is greater in the control animals than in the ascorbic acid-deficient animals. The disappearance of injected ketone bodies (ß-hydroxybutyrate) is decreased in the ascorbic acid-deficient animal. The data suggest that in ascorbic acid-deficiency there is a decreased utilization of ketone bodies coupled with a decreased spontaneous ketogenesis.